Yes, every single one of us. Most people are. We think about God, reason ourselves to conclusions, and then live according to those conclusions. So to put it simply, I believe in God, the Almighty Father, the Maker of heaven and earth. If God made heaven and earth, then He made me and has perfect authority over my life. If God has authority over my life, then nothing can happen to me apart from His will. Based on this conclusion, I will live serenely and obediently, trusting in Him.
But you know that doesn't always happen, don't you? Life happens, and we forget the really good theology we knew and revert right back into panic mode. Or superwoman mode. Or depressed or indulgent or hyper or careless or crabby or gossiping or worshiping-the-idol-of-self mode. I'm allowed to react and live in this way because--fill in the blank with your own excuse. Only it's not just an excuse--it's bad theology. It is living out a conclusion, based on reasoning, based on the premise of a not very powerful, not very wise, not very good, not very loving God.
When things surprise you--when the coffee spills, the test comes back negative, or the car won't start--are you theologically aware of the battle raging around you? Are we soldiers in the army of the victorious, glorious King, or are we on the couch refueling with a pep-talk from Oprah? If there's one thing we girls are good at, it's talking. We can talk up one side of our problems and down the other and somehow never change. It's a symptom, and I'm a little afraid of the disease. If I were as obsessed with God as I am with myself, I would never lose sight of His sovereign goodness. Yet somehow problems, stupid vain earthly problems, distract me. Read what one of my favorite theologians has to say about this spirit of self-preoccupation:
"Life is full of things we can't do anything about, but which we are supposed to do something with. He himself endured a cross and thought nothing of its shame because of the joy (see Heb.2:2). A very different story from the one which would have been written if Jesus had been prompted by the spirit of our own age: Don't just endure the cross--think about it, talk about it, share it, express your gut-level feelings, get in touch with yourself, find out who you are, define the problem, analyze it, get counseling, get the experts' opinions, discuss solutions, work through it. Jesus endured. He thought nothing of the shame. The freedom, the freshness of that valiant selflessness is like a strong wind. How badly such a wind is needed to sweep away the pollution of our self-preoccupation!"
Elisabeth Elliot, Love Has a Price Tag, "The Trail to Shandia," p.85-88
10 comments:
Great job Jenn! We are all guilty of reverting back to panic mode or the complaining mode. We have to ask ourselves in that moment: What are we believing in in this moment? Is God not bigger than my situation? Is God not in control over all of creation? In that moment we all need to be reminded to stop listening to our emotions and start speaking the truth about God's word to ourselves! Let's all encourage one another to renew ourselves in the truth of God's word and not walk according to how we feel! Thanks again Jenn
Thanks -- Just what the Dr. ordered.
I am sharing it here in Flordia.
Good blog writing, and good comments, Lisa. Thanks to you both...need the reminders. ~ Deb
Thanks, Lisa. I think one of the best things about care group is that it creates an environment where that kind of encouragement to holy living is carefully fostered and nurtured. What a blessing!
Thanks Jenn and Deb! Yes, we are truly blessed to have care like this in our caregroups. It only proves once again how much we need and depend on each other in Christ!
Thanks, Jenn for your blog entry. What a great reminder to get out of ourselves and focus on the important. Elisabeth Elliot is one of my favorite "jewels" (to borrow from Gayline's blog from the other day). She has just the right way of setting us straight and reminding us of where our life should be focused -- on glorifying God through our circumstances. Deb Stengele
Well Jenn, you've done it. You've pinned me down again. I would fairly say I've run right down the list of all those wrong reactions multiple times in the past couple weeks.
You know, I first read this post at school yesterday after arriving late since my car wouldn't re-start at the gas station. Precious.
But oh, to "Be as obsessed with God as I am with myself..." I will be crying out this week for God to "sweep away the pollution of my self preoccupation." What an apt description - that Christ's example is like "a strong wind." I have entertained so many worries and fears recently that I have sometimes felt I can't breathe mentally.
Lord, won't you sweep my self-imposed clouds away so that I might walk in sunshine, which is your grace and loving care for me. Not focused on myself, but on You, the souce of all light and joy. And let me be so entranced that I reflect it to all those around me.
Oh to be obsessed with God! That too, is my cry this week!!
I thank God for the sufficiency of His grace, that when I live according to by flesh, His spirit, alive in me, faithfully reminds me of who I really am.
There is never any reverting back to the one who is owned by God through the Gospel. We are bought with a price and daily we do battle to keep our flesh in it's place.
Again, praise the Lord that through His Spirit which abides in my mortal body, I am free!!
Question for the women, sisters by design:
How would each of you individually go about encouraging the "jewel" who does not stay at home...regardless of the reason she does not.
How does this shining star, this precious one of God, fare in your eyes?
I often hear this question and the struggle within that she has believing she is less than, if she doesn't "fit" the exact "image" of the "model" most often spoken of?
Are they both jewels?
Dear Anonymous, I'm glad you have joined us. I will jump in with my response first, since it seems like you are commenting on my post from Monday.
I'm sorry if I did not make myself clear. Every woman, who has been saved by grace through faith in Christ's atoning work on the cross, is a jewel of God. Nothing can change that. That is the pure and astonishing message of the Gospel.
By your question about women who "do not stay at home", I think you are referring to women who are working outside the home. The answer to this, will come with detail as we study God's design for women. Please hang in there with us. I'm not avoiding answering your question, it's just that I would rather wait until we get to that specific application of God's word (from Titus and the rest of Scripture) and His design for us, than get into a lengthy discussion here.
If you are someone who lives close to me and would like further clarification (sooner rather than later), I would be very willing to have a conversation with you over a cup of coffee (or your beverage of choice).
Every woman who's heart's priority is to please God and serve her family is a jewel of God's. We may all need a bit of polishing but that will come as we humbly and prayerfully submit to God and His Word.
Thanks for your response Gayline. I was hoping for more input from the other ladies as well...and most assuredly I will hang in there. God is doing a wonderful and beautiful work as He is in theprocess of molding and shaping His daughters.
From time to time I have a whirl of questions in my own mind and just as often the questions come up in conversations with other women who feel they are looked down upon by "church ladies" who talk the talk and walk the walk but can appear unwilling trevail with the one who has years of real life baggage, such as violent physical and sexual abuse, which has crippled her ability to hear and receive. She's a definite follower of Christ and she is damaged in her soul in a way that goes beyond just "being" the Proverbs 31 woman.
What do you do with her? It's too easy just to tell her all the shoulds and oughts and/or telling her how wonderful your church experience is. She doesn't trust it or you, so how do we help her to? How do you sister her?
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